Thomas j



(NoModeL) T. J. DOLAN.

I SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

No. 584,629. Patented June 15; 1897.

ATTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. DOLAN, OF NE-VV YORK, N. Y.

SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,629, dated June 15,1897.

Application filed July 16,1896. Serialllo. 599,344. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. DOLAN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Rifle-Sights, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention refers to an improved sight for sporting and militaryrifles in which the sight can be adjusted not only for distance,

but likewise so as to neutralize the effect of the windthat is to say,the influence of the wind on the rifle when taking sight.

The invention consists of a rifle-sight which comprises several detailsof construction, which will be fully described hereinafter and finallypointed out in the claims in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of the barrelof a rifle with my improved sight applied thereto. Fig. 2 isatop view ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, showing the sight in anupright position. Fig. at is a vertical longitudinal section of theparts shown in Fig. Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sections ofthe barrel, showing the sight in elevation and adjusted, respectively,in its normal position and in its lateral position adjusted againstdeflection by the wind. Fig. 7 is an enlarged top view of the device,parts being removed. Figs. 8 and 9 show details of different means ofadjusting the bridge-sight on the sight-carrying frame, and Fig. 10 isan under. side view of the notched top plate. 7

Referring to the drawings, A represents the barrel of a rifle forsporting or military purposes 5 B, an oblong base-frame that is appliedto the top part of the barrel near the breech end of the same and isprovided with step-shaped rests b 1) 6 on which the sightcarrying frame0 may be supported either directly on the base-frame or at variousdegrees or inclinations, according as the sightbridge D is placed on thelower, middle, or upper restsb b 19 respectively. When a sight is takenat objects close at hand, the sight is used in its lowermost position inconnection with the step-shaped rests b b 19 In this case a centralnicked projection or sight cl is used at the end of the sight-carryingframe C.

The parts just described are well known" and are not claimed by me.

The sight-carrying frame 0 instead of being hinged to the base-frame Bis hinged by a pin to a dovetailed slide-block E, which is guided incorresponding transverse dovetailed ways t of the base-frame B, andwhich is provided with a central recess 1", (see Fig.4) through whichthe upturned free end of a spring or snap S can bear frictionally on thehinged sight-frame C, so as to retain it in raised or lowered position.The rear edge of this slide-block is provided with small teeth orserrations e, which are engaged by a correspondingly-serrated circularhead f of a centrally-fulcrumed lever F,that is pivoted to thebase-frame B, as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 3, and 7. By adjusting therearwardlyextending handle portion of the lever F in one or the otherdirection through the medium of the teeth of the circular portion orhead intermeshing with the teeth or serrations 6 of the guide-blockE thesight-carrying frame and block are shifted to the left or the right,according to the direction from which the wind is blowing and to thevelocity or force of the wind. The slide-block and sightframe have to beadjusted a greateror less degree, which can be readily determined byexperience in the same manner as the adj ustment of the sight,which isadjusted by guessing more or less at the distance at which the rifle isto be fired.

The slide-block E can be locked in its adjusted position by interposinga plate pressure-spring G between the circular head f of the lever F andthe base-frame B, so that a teat or pin f on the lever will be sprunginto one or the other of the notches orperforations h in a top plate H,which is fixed over the lever by means of the set-screw 2, which formsthe pivot of the lever. After use the slideblock and the sight-carryingframe are returned by grasping the projecting handle of the lever F tothe position shown in Fig. 5, so that the hinged sight-frame can belowered down into the base-frame and into its normal position of restfor carrying a rifle.

The sight -carrying frame G is arranged with a transverse sight-bridgeD, which is provided at the center with a center hole 01 for sighting inthe usual manner and is retained on the sight frame by a suitablespring-catch d that is arranged and pivoted in an enlarged endguide-hole through which one side of the sight-frame passes and engagesthe minutely-serrated edges of the sightframe by pressing the outer endof the catch, such as shown in Fig. 8, away from the sightframe or bypressing in the catch shown in Fig. 9, so that the catch is releasedfrom the serrations, and the sight-bridge D may be readily raised orlowered on the sight-frame according to the distance of the object Whichis to be sighted. The sight-frame O is provided with a graduation, asshown, for adjusting the sight-bridges D to the required distance atwhich the rifle is to be fired.

In place of using a spring-catch that is to be lifted out of theserrations of the slidecarrying frame D a spring-catch may be used, thatis released by pressure on the outer enlarged end of the same, as shownin Fig. 9. In this case the catch-lever is fulcrumed to the sight-bridgeand provided with a catch at one end, so that the pressure of theopposite end releases the catch and permits the adjustment of the sightin the same manner as in the construction shown in Fig. 8.

My improved rifle-sight has the advantages, first, that with acomparatively inexpensive additional mechanism it can be readilyadjusted for neutralizing the effect of the wind on a rifle when aiming;second, that the adj ustment of the sight-bridge is facilitated andreadily set, whether the sight-carrying frame is in its position whenaiming at objects near at hand or in its upright position when aiming atobjects located at a greater distance. The rifle-sight is thereforebetter adapted to sporting and military purposes and can be suppliedwith but little extra expense, while being better adapted for practicalpurposes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination with the base-frame of arifle-sight, provided with a transverse guideway, of a slide-blockguided in the said Way, provided with recesses extending therethroughfrom top to bottom, a sight-carrying frame pivoted to the slideblock, aspring having an upturned free end, said spring being fixed to thebase-frame, projecting under the slide-block, extending through saidrecess at its upturned end, and bearing byits upturned end on thepivoted end of the sight-carrying frame, means for adjusting theslide-block and the sight-carrying frame from normal position to eitherside of the base-frame, and a locking device for the slide-block,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the base-frame of a rifle-sight, having atransverse guideway, of a serrated slide-block guided in said way, asight-carrying frame hinged to the slideblock, a pivoted lever providedwith a serrated portion and with a handle, the serrated part of saidlever engaging theserrated part of the slide-block so as to adjust thesame and the sight-carrying frame to either side of the center of thebase-frame, a top plate arranged over the serrated portion of the leverand beyond which the handle of the lever projects, and means inconnection with the lever and top plate for holding said lever in itsshifted position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. DOLAN.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, GEO. W. J AEKEL.

